Consumer Reports HATES Elise!!!

[glb]

Originally Posted by SKYVUE

glb: Do you have pointed ears?

Nothing matters in life except 0-60 times.
1.5 years from now, I'll reach 60!
Then it's downhill. I've got to reach Nirvana before the time is up!
After that I'll be on borrowed time.

Nothing matters in life except 0-60 acceleration.
That's it. Who cares about handling?
Who cares about style, looks, reliability blah blah blah?
The only thing is 0-60!
I want it and I WANT IT NOW!!
Exige S gets closer to Nirvana, but I need MORE!
I'm thinking of installing a jet engine replacing the 4 banger in my Elise.

CR knows that acceleration is important.
"The 190-hp, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine produced the best acceleration times we've ever recorded."
If it's good for CR it's good for me too!

hmmm....

Didn't Nirvana's lead singer died 20 years ago?
SEE! I told you so!

--Crazy SKYVUE

SV -

1. Ears not pointed, just the head.

2. I'm more interested in 0-100 mph.

3. I will be 60 in 4 months. Finally, my age and IQ will match.

=gb=

[STLengineer]

Here's an interesting editorial regarding Consumer Reports. Basically, this is the way I feel and the reasoning behind my decision to let my subscription lapse:

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=3278

[glb]

Originally Posted by LBC111

It proves to me that I can't trust Consumer Reports.

Uhmmm.. well, maybe so with the Lexus, but I specifically chose this particularly configured Jeep based on impressions I learned of from other owners.

No.. I don't get paid to test products against other brands. I EXPECT OTHER SOURCES LIKE CONSUMER REPORTS TO PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO ME SO I CAN MAKE A "WELL INFORMED" DECISION AS A CONSUMER, NOT A PRODUCT RESEARCHER!

Well, so you are saying you can't trust CR because there are variations in every mass production run. Not logical.

That you liked your Jeep has no bearing on this discussion.

So, we don't know if all the other phones and blenders were better than the ones you bought. Perhaps on the subjective stuff (controls, logic), you opinions varied from those of the CR testers.

Bottom line: CR does a better job testing most things than any other service/publication. It is still our best source of info. That fact is not changed when a company builds 1 good product of 100 and you get the one.

Even if you asked 1000 owners of a product, your results wouldn't be as good as CR's.

[Serebo1]

Originally Posted by STLengineer

Here's an interesting editorial regarding Consumer Reports. Basically, this is the way I feel and the reasoning behind my decision to let my subscription lapse:

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=3278

Lol, one of the user comments replying to the above-linked article:

• <cite>Syke</cite>:
  <small class="commentmetadata">March 6th, 2007 at 1:04 pm </small> One other point not brought up so far: Politically, CR definitely has always had a liberal bias, treating automobiles as absolutely unfortunate necessities that should be driven as little as possible - and do you really want to get car advice from a source that barely tolerates cars, considering them detrimental to the environment, etc.?
  Given that CR supposedly tests anything, when was the last time you read a motorcycle test? Answer: Never. When asked about it in a letters section back in the early 80’s, the answer (paraphrased) was, “We feel motorcycles are too dangerous and nobody should be riding them, so we’re not going to test them lest we give someone the idea that they should buy one.”
  How any pistonhead can read CR regarding car tests for anything other than a good laugh is completely beyond me. Can you imagine the results if they had ever tested a Lotus?

[STLengineer]

lol, nice Serebo. I must have missed that comment. I guess I should elaborate that the article is how I feel about their *car reviews*. I haven't really used them for other products like appliances, computers, and whatnot so I'm not qualified to comment there.

[glb]

Originally Posted by Serebo1

Posted this earlier, but I feel I should do it again. So I am. Lotus "viral" starring Tony Shute and Nick Adams, the "Mom and Dad" of the Elise.

Thanks. I hadn't seen that before and loved it.

[AlanS]

Originally Posted by LARRY

If you want a car that looks EXACTLY like a Sears dishwasher, read Consumer Reports.

No, Larrry, you've got it all wrong. If you want a car that DRIVES exactly like a Sears dishwasher, read Consumer Reports.

[LBC111]

Originally Posted by glb

Well, so you are saying you can't trust CR because there are variations in every mass production run. Not logical.

No, that's what YOU said. You're the one suggesting variations in mass production should invalidate personal experience. Besides, why bother taking ANY research, opinion, report, suggestion, claim seriously if you are going to default to the "variations in mass production" argument?

Originally Posted by glb

That you liked your Jeep has no bearing on this discussion.

OK, again.. that's NOT what I said. I never said anywhere in this thread that I "liked" my Jeep (for the record, I LOVED it!) This is what I said: "Completely trouble-free for the first 5 years, then after 120,000 miles, replaced front brake pads, water pump, and new belts, with a major tune-up. Continued to run strong and solid 'till the day I sold it (big mistake)." Whew!

Originally Posted by glb

So, we don't know if all the other phones and blenders were better than the ones you bought. Perhaps on the subjective stuff (controls, logic), you opinions varied from those of the CR testers.

Jeeez.. I'm offering my experiences and opinion here. Lighten up!

Originally Posted by glb

..That fact is not changed when a company builds 1 good product of 100 and you get the one.

Wow, you know I got the one? Amazing!

Originally Posted by glb

Even if you asked 1000 owners of a product, your results wouldn't be as good as CR's.

Hmmm... me says somebody here might be SLIGHTLY biased towards CR?? Employee, subcontractor, or just own stock??

[TheViper]

I think that Consumer reports is great for buying a "normal" mainstream car. The purchase of our car is based on the dersire for something quite different. It should not even be evaluated by Consumer Reports.

[WileECoyote]

Consumer Reports is for consumers.... we are enthusiasts!

[TheViper]

Originally Posted by WileECoyote

Consumer Reports is for consumers.... we are enthusiasts!

That's what I was trying to say!!!

[ddurham]

Yeah. And the trunk's small too.

[glb]

Originally Posted by LBC111

No, that's what YOU said. You're the one suggesting variations in mass production should invalidate personal experience. Besides, why bother taking ANY research, opinion, report, suggestion, claim seriously if you are going to default to the "variations in mass production" argument? (1)

OK, again.. that's NOT what I said. I never said anywhere in this thread that I "liked" my Jeep (for the record, I LOVED it!) This is what I said: "Completely trouble-free for the first 5 years, then after 120,000 miles, replaced front brake pads, water pump, and new belts, with a major tune-up. Continued to run strong and solid 'till the day I sold it (big mistake)." Whew! (2)

Jeeez.. I'm offering my experiences and opinion here. Lighten up! (3)

Wow, you know I got the one? Amazing! (4)



(5) Hmmm... me says somebody here might be SLIGHTLY biased towards CR?? Employee, subcontractor, or just own stock??

Perhaps you majored in Missing the Point.

1. What I said was that one person’s personal experience is of little to no value when talking about mass-produced products.

You gave an all-too-typical ( ) example of an anomaly: a bad model of Lexus. This neither proves nor means a single thing, about Lexus or testing.

Yes, the logical extension of your point would be that any variation negates the survey or report. If you don’t want to “own” that bit of illogic, fine.

2. Again, if you want to quibble over love vs. like, that’s your deal, but your one personal experience, while interesting to you, proves not a thing.

3. I’m a 158 lb Caucasian and light enough. “Your results may vary..” I might like the design of something you don’t, and vice-versa. I have no rancor here, just a desire to promote logic.

4. You had extremely good luck with your Jeep, given the experience of the majority of Jeep owners in CR and other surveys. I’m happy for you there, but it is not germane…or Greer.

5. Neither an employee or otherwise connected to CR.

You besmirched their mag and testing because of your extremely limited experience with a few products. This is tantamount to saying “I know 10,000 of you didn’t like or get good value from this item. But I did.” BFD.

You said you couldn’t trust them and that they were the “worse pick”. That is patently unfair given what they’ve done for consumers, in testing products and promoting pro-consumer legislation and going after manufacturers of bad or unsafe products.

Given the choice of a sampling of one vs. thousands, wouldn’t you take the latter? I would.

If you agree with the last statement, I suggest you buy a subscription.

PS: I don't work for Lexus either.

PPS: (I'll repeat one of my fav car jokes.) Lexus engineers decided on a new test for body integrity. They pulled a car into the shop, rolled up the windows, threw a cat in it and closed the doors. They knew that if, in the morning the cat was dead, they had a tight car.

Chrylser engineers heard about this, so they tried the same thing.

In the morning, the cat was gone.

[glb]

Originally Posted by ddurham

Yeah. And the trunk's small too.

Yup. While crewing for a historic racer friend @ Beaver Run, I stayed away from the Elise as I had no time to answer the many questions.

I had to go to the car to get a bandaid from the trunk. Sure enough, I open the trunk and a guy comes over and says, "Boy, it'd sure be hard to take a trip with a woman in a car like this."

I reply, "No, not really. You just chop her up into little pieces first."

He says, "No, I was talking about her luggage." I say, "I know: It was a joke."

(Perhaps that I was going thru a divorce at the time colored my sense of humor.)


Recently asked a young woman to drive from NJ to FL with me in Elise. I had to tell her, "The trunk is tiny, so only one of us can bring makeup."

For some reason, she declined....

[JnC]

I think the reason why CR tested the Elise is because Jeremy Clarkson called the Exige a "plastic toaster from Norfolk".

[LBC111]

Originally Posted by glb

Perhaps you majored in Missing the Point.

Perhaps you have a PhD in My Opinion and Experience is the Only One That Matters and All Other Opinions and Experiences that Differ from Mine are Wrong.

I'm sorry you disagree so vehemently with my experience.

You're right.. I should ignore my own experience with a mass produced itemsbecause it is insignificant in the big picture.

You're right.. I should also continue to use a marketing tool which hasn't proved helpful to me in the past.

Consumer Reports rates Your Opinion as "Best Pick".

Done with this thread.. Buh bye!

[glb]

Originally Posted by LBC111

Perhaps you have a PhD in My Opinion and Experience is the Only One That Matters and All Other Opinions and Experiences that Differ from Mine are Wrong.

I'm sorry you disagree so vehemently with my experience.

You're right.. I should ignore my own experience with a mass produced itemsbecause it is insignificant in the big picture.

You're right.. I should also continue to use a marketing tool which hasn't proved helpful to me in the past.

Consumer Reports rates Your Opinion as "Best Pick".

Done with this thread.. Buh bye!

Thank you for finally agreeing with me.

[wcaswell]

I read the CR write up and thought it was about spot on for the average consumer. My 63 year old dad bought an S2000 this year and after driving my exige felt his car handled better as it felt more planted to the ground. He obviously felt the heavier wieght and wider tires which had the appearance of more grip under normal driving conditions. My point is that most normal drivers won't be able to get within 70% dof the limit of the car and most of that will occur below say 30 mph. For people that drive like that, it wil feel like a miata or s2000. As for the rest of the commentary, it was spot on too, my car rattles like crazy and the shifter blows. I love it and wouldn't trade for anything short of a 911 gt3, paticularly the RS. But for the average consumer it was pretty accurate. The comment of exceeding limit and it behaving unpredictabily. I strongly disagree with this comment after getting sideways on an off ramp at nearly 90 mph, the car responded to ever input I gave. But most people have no idea what they are doing and would likely lose control. As a comparison, my bmw's pretty much correct themselves out of a skid if you put the clutch in and take your hands off the wheel - well not quite, but almost.

[joaovc]

I cannot believe this thread is on 6 pages already

[JoshS]

Originally Posted by STLengineer

Here's an interesting editorial regarding Consumer Reports. Basically, this is the way I feel and the reasoning behind my decision to let my subscription lapse:

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/?p=3278

Not only do they have a bias towards Japanese cars, they actual influenced Lotus to put in a Toyota engine, and the Atom and T-Rex all using Japanese engines, when they all should have used those much more dependable sought after American drive-trains. We've been robbed all because of CR!